Fire!
There have been a number of serious wildfires during the long hot spell (which ended earlier in Cumbria where I live than in many other places). We are familiar with places such as California and Australia experiencing wildfires. This year there have even been reports from Sweden . (No, this is not going to be a post about global warming.) Our area experienced one of the earliest fires of the season beginning on 12 June. Perhaps our dry spell began sooner than elsewhere. May was very summery – a welcome change after a long winter. The sandy soil on the cliffs and the plants growing there had dried out. Tinder dry. The evening the fire started The fire on St Bees Head was visible from our windows. Although almost a mile away, at times we could see flames as well as smoke. Smoking cliffs on 13 June The fire was declared a major incident; many fire crews and appliances worked day and night for a few days to extinguish it. The popular footpath nearby (on the Coast to Co